The Agenda Project (TAP) The appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos: we’ve talked about them all year. Nowhere do they have a more dramatic effect than in the world of politics and the journalism that covers it.
Media Awareness is one of the most important skills for an educated person to have in modern America. In the past, VP has examined this topic through a project called The Bias Calculator, but we’ve decided that that is too limiting. Instead, we’re hoping to TAP into a broader examination of topics related to Bias, Agenda, Slant, Subjectivity, and Objectivity.
(A few additional resource suggestions are posted below the list of topics, along with a set of objectives for the project.)
More will be said about this in class, of course. We will only scratch the surface here, breaking ground on a museum of Agenda in modern America. You and a partner will select one topic, do a little research, and construct a wiki page that develops a position on one of the following topics:
Bias calculator>>example>> See Mr. Rosin for a resource to use
(Jeremy & Dan) The left on Palin>>example>> See Jon Stewart or others – even political (but not social) conservative Andrew Sullivan in The Atlantic is a good source for this
(Brody & John) Pick two major blogs/pundits, one from each “side”, and cover daily for a week – watch the memes, themes, and style>>example>> There are many good examples; you’re going to want to find some major ones. Look around, then check with W/R for confirmation that you’ve got a significant figure on each side
(Mara & Liz) The MSM ("mainstream media"), focus on The New York Times>>example>> This won’t be hard to find. Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly, not to mention Sarah Palin, are prominent critics of the MSM
(Andrew & Riggs) National Public Radio>>example>> Look up the name Kenneth Tomlinson for a start
(Julia & Rebecca) Populism vs. “The Elite”>>example>> Joe the Plumber, “plain folks” on one side; the Ivy League, “the Beltway” on the other >>example>> Great historical examples abound – this has changed dramatically over the years – back to the 19th century
(Anna & Julia) Allusion, imagery, metaphor: what are the key images we associate with candidates? >>example>> lockbox, hockey mom, pit bull, Kerry sailing, McCain's cross in the dirt, morning in America, thousand points of light, etc.), and analysis of those images -- power of image vs. word
Moderateness, extremism, radicalism: the center and the margins>>example>> David Brooks, moderate-conservative columnist of The New York Times, is a good commentator on this
(Matt & Troy) Polls and their use>>example>> Mr. Wright has a suggestion about a commentator on polls o Nate Silver at http://www.fivethirtyeight.com
(Kumar & David) Foreign relations>>example>> Israel might be a great topic to start with
Propose your own topic! (need to get it approved by Wright/Rosin)
Two or three resources every group should consider using: · FactCheck.org (and FactCheckEd.org) · On the Media (NPR Sunday and http://www.onthemedia.org/) · Fairness and Accuracy in Media (FAIR) is another prominent source that has been at the center of a few debates itself – consider this carefully, as well
Objectives include: · to find some good resources to use when investigating/deconstructing bias and potential bias, and exercise and expand skills at navigating the Internet · to become more aware of the prevalence of agendas in reporting – those that exist, those that are rumored, those that are exaggerated… · to learn terminology relevant to a discussion of bias and agenda in media · to gather data – maybe incriminating, maybe exculpatory – on some of the most prominent foci of charges of bias in America today · to practice documenting sources according to MLA, in advance of our Big Research Project · to use a wiki as an appealing, informative, interactive tool through which a complex thesis can be designed and presented
The appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos: we’ve talked about them all year. Nowhere do they have a more dramatic effect than in the world of politics and the journalism that covers it.
Media Awareness is one of the most important skills for an educated person to have in modern America. In the past, VP has examined this topic through a project called The Bias Calculator, but we’ve decided that that is too limiting. Instead, we’re hoping to TAP into a broader examination of topics related to Bias, Agenda, Slant, Subjectivity, and Objectivity.
(A few additional resource suggestions are posted below the list of topics, along with a set of objectives for the project.)
More will be said about this in class, of course. We will only scratch the surface here, breaking ground on a museum of Agenda in modern America. You and a partner will select one topic, do a little research, and construct a wiki page that develops a position on one of the following topics:
Two or three resources every group should consider using:
· FactCheck.org (and FactCheckEd.org)
· On the Media (NPR Sunday and http://www.onthemedia.org/)
· Fairness and Accuracy in Media (FAIR) is another prominent source that has been at the center of a few debates itself – consider this carefully, as well
Objectives include:
· to find some good resources to use when investigating/deconstructing bias and potential bias, and exercise and expand skills at navigating the Internet
· to become more aware of the prevalence of agendas in reporting – those that exist, those that are rumored, those that are exaggerated…
· to learn terminology relevant to a discussion of bias and agenda in media
· to gather data – maybe incriminating, maybe exculpatory – on some of the most prominent foci of charges of bias in America today
· to practice documenting sources according to MLA, in advance of our Big Research Project
· to use a wiki as an appealing, informative, interactive tool through which a complex thesis can be designed and presented